Overview

AirMedic® USB Spectrum Analyzer is a powerful, easy-to-use and affordable spectrum analysis tool that brings Wi-Fi troubleshooting to entry-level users. Built upon AirMagnet expertise in Wi-Fi troubleshooting, AirMedic USB Spectrum Analyzer is a fast and simple, “just the facts” approach to dealing with the periodic performance and reliability problems that all wireless LANs experience.

With AirMedic USB Spectrum Analyzer users can detect any RF activity in the environment, including detecting areas where RF interference impacts performance – ultimately resulting in user dissatisfaction due to slow connections or frequent disconnections. With this information, users can select the best channels for deploying Wi-Fi APs in the environment.

Features

Universal Form-factor

AirMedic USB’s universal form-factor, gives users the flexibility of installing and using the product on Microsoft® Windows PCs or Apple MacBook Pro. The spectrum USB adapter has an internal antenna as well as an MMCX connector to connect the external omni-directional antenna included in the AirMedic USB package or the optionally purchased external directional antenna.

Simple Wi–Fi Troubleshooting

AirMedic USB provides clear visibility into the 2.4 GHz, 4.9 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands and delivers the pinpoint resolution necessary to find and resolve interference and RF problems. Users can choose to view bands individually or leverage the “mixed mode” feature for complete coverage of all Wi-Fi bands. AirMedic USB is designed around a simple interface with one goal in mind – get problems fixed fast. Instead of navigating through multiple pages or pouring over endless decodes, AirMedic USB boils the network information down to its most core components and delivers the data in a single integrated view. Built-in “Easy Views” provide chart sets for troubleshooting the most common problems, or users can save their own customized views that are tailored to their troubleshooting methods.

High-resolution RF Spectrum Graphs

AirMedic USB provides visibility into the physical layer of the WLAN, to identify RF interference and problems in the environment that directly impact the performance of the network. Key RF spectrum graphs include:

Real-Time FFT - provides a real-time view into the RF energy in the environment with current, max, max-hold and average RF signal levels. Users can overlay channel duty-cycle on the Real-time FFT graph to streamline their efforts in detecting and focusing on RF interference sources that have the maximum impact on the performance of the network.

Spectrum Density - provides a longer-term view into the network by displaying live information on the signals that have been common during the current capture session. This can be very helpful to identify infrequent transmitters.

Spectrogram - provides a scrolling history of the RF environment and allows a visual understanding of the spectrum over time to see intermittent spikes or bursts of RF energy that may be causing WLAN network problems.

Duty Cycle - tells you just how often an interfering signal is present. A high duty cycle means an interferer is constantly transmitting and will most certainly cause problems on the affected channel.

Channel Power - shows the maximum and average power levels across all the channels in the selected radio band.

Channel Duty Cycle vs. Time Trending - shows the average power in the channels that is above the noise floor over a specific period of time.

Wi–Fi Analysis Charts

Just plug in any Wi-Fi adapter in the same PC as the AirMagnet spectrum adapter or use any adapter built inside your machine, and AirMedic USB will instantly display a variety of Wi-Fi charts to provide the Wi-Fi perspective simultaneously.

AP Signal Strength - displays up to three APs with the strongest signal strength readings on each channel in the selected radio band.

AP List - shows all Wi-Fi devices along with their properties that have been detected on all available channels in the selected radio band.

Channel Occupancy - shows all the available channels for the selected radio band and the APs that are occupying those channels.

Record and Playback

AirMedic USB users can save their RF spectrum scan, retain it as hard evidence and play it back at a later time for post-capture investigation and analysis. This is very helpful as critical forensic information while investigating any Layer 1 Denial of Service attacks against the WLAN network. The saved trace files can also be shared between users for collaborative analysis and troubleshooting.

AirMedic USB’s Instant Replay feature allows users to review the most recent spectrum information and play it back, as if it were being viewed live for the first time.

Detailed description (impact on WLAN, recommendations on how to deal with it, etc.) on every interference source

Ideal patterns for interference sources

Ideal patterns for RF interference sources in the Help menu

RF Spectrum Graphs

Real-time FFT

Spectrum Density

Spectrogram

Channel Power

Interference Power

Channel Duty Cycle

Event Spectrogram

Channel Duty Cycle vs. Time Trending

Interference Power vs. Time Trending

Non Wi-Fi devices (active)

Non Wi-Fi devices (history)

Non Wi-Fi devices (summary)

Real-time FFT

Spectrum Density

Spectrogram

Channel Power

Channel Duty Cycle

Channel Duty Cycle vs. Time Trending

Wi-Fi Charts

AP list

AP Signal Strength

Channel Occupancy

Channels by Speed*

Channels by Address*

Channels by Media*

Top 10 Active APs by CRCs/Retry*

Top 10 APs by speed*

Channel SNR*

Channel by Errors/Retry*

Channel Utilization*

* Requires supported AirMagnet Wi-Fi adapter

Note: Other charts available using any Wi-Fi adapter

AP list

AP Signal Strength

Channel Occupancy

Note: Charts available using any Wi-Fi adapter

WLAN performance impact analysis due to RF issues

Consolidated view to allow visualization of the impact of RF interference on overall WLAN performance

Multiple Wi-Fi charts available for co-relation:

AP Signal Strength

Channels by Speed/Address/Media

Top 10 APs by CRCs/Retry

Channel SNR

Channel Errors/Retry

Channel Utilization

Channel Occupancy

Consolidated view for spectrum graphs and Wi-Fi charts

Multiple Wi-Fi charts available for co-relation:

AP list

AP Signal Strength

Channel Occupancy

Spectrum recording, playback and instant replay

Yes

Yes

Send SNMP traps for detected interference sources

Yes

No

Remote Spectrum Analysis

Yes

No

Enhanced Bluetooth interferer information

Yes (device ID, name, services, etc.)

No

Pre-configured and Customized "easy views"

Yes

Yes

Integration with other professional Wi-Fi products

Integrates with AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer PRO and Survey PRO

No

Customer signatures for RF Interference

Users can instantly detect, classify and respond to any RF interference source. This allows users to classify repeat offenders unique to the network or environment.

Provides a quick turn around on detection and classification

Create RF interferer signature once for any interference source and share it across multiple locations.

No

Automated pattern recognition and alerting for an RF Interferer in the environment

Yes.

AirMagnet Spectrum XT provides a "zero-day" response to any RF Interference source in the environment by automatically detecting RF patterns that are repeating in time (denotes a potential interference source). With this ability, user can directly create a customized signature for the repeating pattern.

Supported Adapters

RF Spectrum Analysis(mandatory adapter required to run AirMedic USB)
AirMagnet Spectrum Adapter (USB form-factor). The Spectrum USB adapter has an internal antenna as well as a MMCX connector to connect the external omni-directional antenna included in the AirMedic USB package or the optionally purchased external directional antenna.

Additional Wi-Fi Analysis

AirMedic USB offers additional Wi-Fi analysis features using any Wi-Fi adapter connected to/built-into your computer, in addition to the spectrum features supported by the AirMagnet Spectrum USB adapter. This does NOT remove the requirement for an AirMagnet Spectrum USB adapter, without which the AirMedic USB software will not work.

The AirMagnet Directional Antenna will enhance the RF detection and capabilities of the AirMagnet products in a single direction helping narrow down the search pattern far more effectively. It is small, light and portable.

Users need to attach the Velcro base (supplied with the directional antenna package) to the laptop and connect it to the AirMagnet card and start analyzing the wireless environment in the specific area.